Catholics Across the Country Celebrate Marriage Equality in Maryland!

News Release

Catholics Across the Country Celebrate Marriage Equality in Maryland!

Group Says Today's Bill Signing Would Not Have Been Possible Without Pro-Equality Catholic Leadership

ANNAPOLIS - Catholics for Equality, the country's largest national political organization of Catholics who put their faith into ethical and effective political action on behalf of the LGBT community and their families, representing the views of over 75 million American Catholics, released the following statement today on the signing of marriage equality legislation by Governor Martin O'Malley of Maryland:

Catholics for Equality is proud of our Catholic brother, Governor Martin O'Malley, who led the effort this year to pass marriage equality in Maryland. Without his pro-equality Catholic leadership, this legislation would not have reached his desk today. This bill not only betters the lives of lesbian and gay couples and their children, but the lives of our Catholic families throughout the state.

Governor O'Malley joins Catholic Governors Andrew Cuomo of New York, Christine Gregoire of Washington, John Baldacci of Maine and John Lynch of New Hampshire, in signing marriage equality into law.

We also recognize the work of our Catholic brothers and sisters in the Maryland State Legislature who ushered this bill to passage. Without the leadership of Catholic leaders Sen. Robert Garagiola in the Senate and Delagate Heather Mizeur and Speaker Michael Busch in the House, this bill would not have reached the Governor's desk.

We also applaud the work of our state affiliate, Maryland Catholics for Equality, under the leadership of State Chair Manley Calhoun, who worked to empower and mobilize the majority of Maryland Catholics who polls show support civil marriage equality.

Lastly, we remain inspired by the countless number of Catholic families who stood up and spoke out so passionately during this year's statewide debate around marriage equality. You prove to the nation that faithful Catholics believe that sacramental/religious marriage can be protected inside our church, while our government extends civil/legal marriage licenses to same-sex couples in our city halls.

Today's celebration in Maryland is a reminder to all American Catholics that our faith community plays a critical role in advancing LGBT equality. If you've yet to join the Catholics for Equality campaign, please like us on Facebook and visit our website at catholicsforequality.org to subscribe to our mailing list.

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Catholics for Equality empowers pro-equality Catholics to put our faith into ethical and effective political action on behalf of the LGBT community and their families.

Catholics for Equality was founded in 2010 to support, educate, and mobilize Catholics in the advancement of freedom and equality at the federal, state, and local levels for our lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender family, parish and community members.